1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an autonomous control system for an automotive vehicle or the like and more specifically to a such a system which improves the reliability with which the vehicle can be automatically controlled.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Autonomous vehicular control systems proposed hitherto have attempted to guide the vehicle based on data derived by scanning the road centerline or the like predetermined indication which extends along the road on which the vehicle is running. Based on the data derived by observing the centerline (for example) these control systems have predicted the presence of curves in the road and suitably controlled the steering, brakes accelerator etc. However, these systems have lacked sufficient reliablity to enable a totally unmanned completely autonomously controlled vehicle to safely left to execute its work and/or navigate a given course without some form of human supervision or monitoring. For example, when the vehicle is traversing a road which curves and which changes direction frequently, such as a road which winds its way around the periphery of a bay or the like, control of the vehicle sometimes becomes sufficiently disoriented as to wind up driving around in circles.